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Archiver > DUR-NBL > 2003-05 > 1052135111


From: Jim Balmer <>
Subject: Re: [DUR-NBL] completeness of census
Date: Mon, 05 May 2003 12:45:11 +0100
In-Reply-To: <74.2dd1928d.2be7791c@aol.com>


Geoff,

Thanks for the enlightenment on the origins of the 1881 census disks. Hats
off to the FFHS workers. I notice that they don't get a mention in the
credits, not even in the small print where Intellectual Reserve Inc claim
the copyright.

Similarly, the transcribers of the 1901 census will come as a shock to many.
I thought the PRO would have assembled a team of the brightest young
products of our schools and universities (hence my PC reservations!). This
is cost saving gone mad, compounded by profiteering on a huge scale if one
compares the cost of accessing all the 1901 and 1881 information. Heads
should have rolled, but somebody probably got a KCMG out of it instead.

Considering genealogy is the third most popular subject on the net, whatever
the shortcomings of 1881 and 1901 there is a crying need for complete 1851,
1861, 1871 and 1891 census transcripts on disc or on line. Perhaps
sentencing offenders to 100 hours of transcription rather than community
service could (a) help genealogists and (b) cut the crime rate.

Jim

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